Weather Vienna
Vienna is known for its placid continental climate; one with variable weather patterns and a large seasonal temperature variance. Austria's capital has warm and pleasant summers and winters with cold temperatures that can drop below freezing. On average, 2,000 hours of sunshine are registered annually, and because of the city's continental location away from any large bodies of water, it can actually get quite hot at times during the summer.
Vienna is subject to both a warm, dry climate and also a raw Alpine climate so the temperature and weather conditions tend toward extremes. Higher than average temperatures or even large drops in temperature can take place at any time of year. The city is set on the banks of the mighty Danube River, which continues its trajectory through the heart of two other European capitals, Bratislava and Budapest.
An iconic city with a wealth of history, Vienna is one of Europe's major cultural and artistic capitals. The former home of people such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss and Freud, Vienna is sometimes referred to as the "City of Music" or the "City of Dreams." It used to be the bastion of the wealthy and powerful Habsburg Dynasty and, as a reminder of this period of sheer splendour and prosperity, the city is still home to several imperial palaces.
Additional attractions in Vienna include the fantastic Museum Quarter and its world-renowned café and coffee culture. Of course, anyone who wants to attend a classical music concert, an opera or a fancy ball couldn't pick a better place to do that than Vienna.
Vienna is recognised as one of the safest capital cities in the world and is renowned for a great holiday experience. The recommended times to travel are late spring, the beginning of summer or autumn when temperatures are most likely to be mild and at their most pleasant.
Summer Weather in Vienna
Even though most people think of the summer climate in Vienna as being pleasurably mild and quite sunny, there are days when it can, in fact, feel exceedingly hot. Visitors wishing to see the city during the period from June to September will, however, find the climate at its most comfortable.
Temperature
Each July and August, for example, Vienna will typically experience weather with average high temperatures of 24°C in the afternoons and lows of no less than 14°C during the nights. Temperatures can on occasion exceed 30°C and although it usually lasts a week or two, this fine weather can be short-lived. The overall average temperature in summer ranges between 15°C in September to 19°C in the peak summer months of July and August. These temperatures are absolutely ideal for strolling around the historic heart of the city, which, by the way, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rainfall
Precipitation is generally moderate throughout the year and doesn't vary significantly, but summers are slightly wetter than the other three seasons. So, don't overlook the possibility of rain during Vienna's summer. Monthly rainfall totals in summer range from 45mm in September to 74mm in June, which is the city's wettest month. July and August lie somewhere in between those numbers. Generally speaking, you may expect 13 or 14 days with rainfall per month in summert must be said, however, that rain showers do tend to be rather short, although spells of rain that last a couple days may occur as well.
Sunshine Hours
Vienna's weather changes regularly, but summer is undoubtedly the most comfortable time of year to visit. Summer is also by far the sunniest of all seasons. June, July and August all enjoy days with 11 hours of sunshine on average, which is exceptionally high for a central European city.
Autumn Weather in Vienna
Autumn months, October and November, are fresh and mild. Many people find autumn an attractive and somewhat romantic season to spend time in Vienna, although the skies can be rather overcast on some days. When the sun sets on autumn days, the city quickly cools down, especially when it's breezy.
Temperature
Autumn receives average rainfall, less than in summer, but slightly more than in winter. Temperatures are cool, but may still rise to pleasant levels in the afternoons, with peaks of 14°C in October. The changing foliage and crisp mornings in autumn make it a delightful season to visit this marvellous city.
Winter Weather in Vienna
In winter; from December through to February, the temperatures drop but are still relatively mild in comparison to some other cities in northern Europe. It's a cold time of year, though, don't be mistaken.
Temperature
Daily highs reach 4°C, while the average low temperatures drop to below freezing every month. January is the coldest month of the year, with average lows of -4°C and average highs of 2°C. Both December and January have overall average temperatures that are below freezing at -1°C.
Vienna's climate is not entirely predictable. Winter temperatures have previously fallen to as low as -15°C. On the other hand, sometimes February can be bone-chillingly cold, and sometimes you can spot residents walking around outside in shorts. Snowfall mainly occurs in December through to March, which is when Vienna experiences the peak of winter.
Sunshine Hours
Winter, as the season with the shortest day lengths and with its fair share of cloud cover, is not surprisingly the least sunny of all seasons in Vienna. December is the darkest month with only 4 hours of sunshine per day on average. January and February do only slightly better with 5 sunshine hours per day. That being said; seeing that the days are very short in winter, it can be concluded that about half or more of each day is still sunny!
Spring Weather in Vienna
Temperature
The springtime weather in Vienna is characterised by rapidly improving conditions. While March nights still have temperatures ranging around freezing, in May the nights are 9°C "warm" on average. May also marks the beginning of the warmer half of year, with an average high temperature of 20°C. For the duration of April, Austria's capital enjoys average temperatures around 14°C by day, even reaching 16°C or 17°C during the sunniest weather.
Rainfall
Rainfall in spring is not exceptional. The season starts off relatively dry with a total of 41mm in March; by the end of the season the total has increased to 61mm as the weather moves toward the warmer and slightly wetter summer season. Every month in spring has 13 days with some form of precipitation on average.
Sunshine Hours
Monthly sunshine hours increase swiftly throughout the season. March has 7 hours of sunshine per day, but April and May already can enjoy 10 beautifully sunny hours each day. This is a lovely time of the year to visit the beautiful Austrian capital.
Due to the highly changeable weather conditions in Vienna, it is advised you check an up-to-date weather forecast on this page.